Thread: Replacing rear pads and discs. Any traps for the unwary?

Hub nut doesn’t hold brake rotor on D2. No worries there.

There should be no need to draw off any brake fluid, unless some muppet has topped it up. Topping up is unnecessary, and can introduce contaminents. Brake fluid levels fall as the pads wear ( normal ) or if there is a leak, in which case you should stop driving it until it is fixed.

That said, this is a really good opportunity to replace the brake fluid completely, something well worth doing.

Originally Posted by johntins

Unless some muppet has topped it up. Topping up is unnecessary, and can introduce contaminents.

Alternatively you can drive around with the red brake light flashing at you because your brake fluid level is a ml low. Be a real goose as opposed to a muppet.

Last time I did pads and rotors I also fitted braided brake hoses, replaced the flexible hoses in the pipes to the rear, did the kit on the master cylinder as the grommets where the reservoir fit were leaking, new fluid and a really good bleed with the Nanocom. Totally transformed the braking on a nearly 16 year old vehicle and not overly expensive.

Originally Posted by Andrew D

Alternatively you can drive around with the red brake light flashing at you because your brake fluid level is a ml low. Be a real goose as opposed to a muppet.

Mine doesn't do that. And neither it should. When the light comes on I'll know something is wrong. Brake fluid levels drop as the pads wear. It's called hydraulics, and it's normal. My pads are due for a change soon, but the light is not on.

You should get yours checked.

Originally Posted by AK83

If you're desperate for one, I have one you can borrow.
Advice is to get all new retaining screws before you do it all, so you have them ready to fit up.
Almost always chewed to pieces, as people hack them up undoing them, then put the hacked ones back in .. over and over.
Cheap bits, not worth stuffing about reusing the old damaged ones.

Thanks, PM sent

Originally Posted by johntins

Mine doesn't do that. And neither it should. When the light comes on I'll know something is wrong. Brake fluid levels drop as the pads wear. It's called hydraulics, and it's normal. My pads are due for a change soon, but the light is not on.

You should get yours checked.

Umm, my Defender used to do exactly the same and cause the low fluid light to flash, so I'd top the reservoir off.

If I did a pad change I'd actually open the nipples and push the old fluid out that way rather than push dirty **** back up the lines.
The fluid in the calipers cops the heat cycles and oxidation so it's not a bad idea to purge it when changing pads if you aren't doing a full fluid change.